


Better For You

by gryvon



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bakery, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Bakery and Coffee Shop, Getting Together, M/M, Protective Bucky Barnes, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-31
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-10-01 02:59:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17236094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gryvon/pseuds/gryvon
Summary: Tony stares at the extensive array of baked goods. There are shelves full of different flavors of cupcakes, trays of cookies, a variety of scones and muffins and things that look good but he has no idea what they are. There are almost too many options. He's getting diabetes just from looking at all of it."What's the occasion?" Hot barista asks."Business meeting. What says 'Sorry for showing up an hour late?'"Hot barista comes to a stop across the counter from Tony, arches an eyebrow, and says, deadpan, "Being on time."





	Better For You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [malome78](https://archiveofourown.org/users/malome78/gifts).



Tony's walked past the shop dozens of times. It's only two blocks from the tower so there are at least a dozen Stark Industries employees visible through the windows at any given time. He knows the coffee there is good. Pepper's bought it for him a few times. He recognizes the logo—a red star with a circle around it. He's never actually gone in though, never even knew its name—a very boring Barnes's Coffee—until now, and he's kicking himself for missing out on the outrageous hotness standing behind the counter.

Tony peers over his sunglasses at the barista while ostensibly perusing the baked goods case. The guy's got long brown hair pulled into a messy bun. He's wearing a plain brown apron over a white long-sleeved shirt that does nothing to hide an obscene amount of muscles, definitely not from baking.

There's a small line at the register—only about three long—and Tony knows he's going to flirt outrageously once he opens his mouth. It's a given. He knows his weaknesses. Best let everyone else get their caffeine fix first. He's considerate like that.

"Need help finding something?" Tall, dark, and handsome asks when the last of the waiting customers have their drinks. He's smiling politely and giving Tony a semi-subtle once-over.

Tony pockets his sunglasses and turns a dazzling smile on the guy. It's the kind of smile that's landed him star athletes and supermodels. "Absolutely. I want to buy..." He takes in the extensive display case. "...something."

There are a lot of choices, more than most coffee shops. He's never shopped for baked goods before. They just magically show up at meetings and weddings and other people's birthday parties. There are shelves full of different flavors of cupcakes, trays of cookies, a variety of scones and muffins and things that look good but he has no idea what they are. There are almost too many options. He's getting diabetes just from looking at all of it. 

"What's the occasion?" Hot barista asks.

"Business meeting. What says 'Sorry for showing up an hour late?'"

Hot barista comes to a stop across the counter from Tony, arches an eyebrow, and says, deadpan, "Being on time."

Tony bursts out laughing. He's loud enough to turn the head of most of the shop's patrons. Thankfully none of them immediately reach for their cellphones. Pepper will kill him if he goes viral again this week. Their publicity department is still dealing with the fallout from Ty cheating on him and immediately getting engaged to Sunset Bain.

He ignores their audience in favor of grinning at the snarky barista. He hasn't had someone sass him like that since Rhodey went overseas. "Too late." He stuffs his hands in his pockets and rocks on his heels. "It's all about damage control now. Pepper can't be mad if I bring her breakfast. She usually forgives me if there's food."

The barista gives him a lingering look and then shakes his head with a chuckle. "How about Sour Cream and Strawberry scones? They're pretty popular."

"Scones are good. Maybe a dozen?" He leans over the counter to watch the hot barista box up the pastries. They do look pretty good. He can see chunks of strawberry and chocolate. "Two coffees too. A caramel macchiato with an extra shot of espresso and a mocha latte, biggest sizes you've got."

"Sure thing..." The guy picks up a cup and stares at Tony.

Tony pulls out his wallet and waits for the guy to tell him the price. They stare at each other a little awkwardly. Hot barista doesn't move any closer to the register, obviously waiting on something from Tony.

The guy waves his sharpie. "What name should I put the order under?"

"Oh." Tony blinks. He looks down at his expensive suit. He's dressed pretty typical, not even an attempt at a disguise. There's zero recognition on the guy's face. It slowly dawns on Tony. Hot barista has no idea who Tony is. "Oh!" A knot of tension he didn't even know he'd been holding uncoils inside of him. His shoulders relax. His smile turns a little real and a little self-deprecating. "Right. It's Tony, thanks."

Which deity does he need to thank for finding possibly the only person in New York who hasn't watched Tony get spectacularly dumped on every gossip site on the internet? Thor, maybe? He should thank Thor. That seems like a thing.

"Sure thing, Tony." The barista smiles as he rings up Tony's purchases and hands Tony the to-go box of scones in a plastic bag. "Drinks will be just a second."

Tony moves over to the end of the bar. He's aware of the remaining patrons watching him surreptitiously, like he's some sort of wild animal that might do a funny trick. Maybe they expect Ty to walk in and publicly announce all of the reasons he's leaving Tony for Sunset. Oh, wait, that already happened.

Hot barista's got his back to Tony, paying Tony zero attention while making the requested coffees.

Tony leans his crossed arms on the counter. It's not like he can do any worse, right? There can't be anyone worse than Ty. "What's your name?"

Hot barista darts a quick look over. "Huh?"

"Well, you know my name. It's only fair I get to know yours." The line is a bit of a litmus test. Tony knows he can be an obnoxious brat. Ty said so. Repeatedly. Best to get it out of the way before he becomes invested. Again.

Hot barista smiles. He's got a gorgeous smile, just a touch wicked. "Is that so?"

"Yep. Them's the rules."

Hot barista sets the coffees in front of Tony. He winks. "It's Barnes. Like the sign says."

Tony pouts. "That can't be your first name."

Hot barista—Barnes—grins. "It's not."

"Are you going to tell me what it is?"

Barnes shrugs and heads to the register to take care of another customer. "Guess you're going to have to come back and find out."

Tony laughs again. By Thor, that feels good. He may have been isolating himself, just a little, and being morose about Ty. Flirting with the hot barista is a nice change.

"I guess I will," Tony says and heads out the door. With how good his macchiato is, he's definitely coming back.

* * *

"So," Tony drawls as he approaches the counter of his new favorite coffee shop, "the scones were delicious but guess what's the one and only thing in the entire world that Pepper's allergic to?"

Barnes offers a sympathetic smile. "Strawberries?"

Barnes is looking particularly nice today in a henley that shows off a generous portion of his chest. The only thing that would make it better would be if he had his sleeves rolled up so Tony could glimpse Barnes's obviously muscular forearms. It's a thing. Tony loves a man with muscles.

"Got it in one." He smiles and bends to peer at the bottom row of the baked goods case. He's kind of showing off how fantastic his ass looks in these pants. A quick glance confirms that Barnes has taken the bait and is very appreciative of the view. "What do you have that says, 'Sorry I tried to kill you with baked goods?'"

Barnes laughs and joins Tony by the bakery counter. He pulls out a tray of brownies and shows them to Tony. They're large brownies that are so brown they're almost black. There are large chunks of chocolate dotting the surface. They look amazing and absolutely awful for his waistline. "Death by Chocolate?"

Tony has to laugh at that. Pepper will appreciate the pun. She'll definitely appreciate the chocolate and then complain about having to burn off the calories. They can pull out their yoga mats before dinner. "Perfect. I'll take a dozen. And some coffee too."

"Sure thing. Just let me get these boxed up first."

"No rush," Tony says because really, he's in absolutely no hurry to leave. He's content to ogle the hot barista for as long as he can. He'd timed his approach to avoid a line, thus giving him ample time for flirting. Plus, he's not running late for any meetings, at least none he's aware of. He is avoiding the pile of paperwork on his desk, but that's nothing new.

Barnes sets the box of brownies on the counter and smiles at Tony from the register, ready to ring up the drinks. "What'll it be?"

"Vanilla latte, iced mocha, and chai latte," Tony rattles off smoothly. His assistant, Natasha, had glared at him when he'd only brought back coffee for himself and Pepper and she scares him. Not as much as Pepper, but he's absolutely certain Natasha could kill him with a paperclip. He has a theory that she's ex-KGB but he hasn't asked her about it yet. He's not sure he wants to know the answer.

Barnes grins as he takes Tony's card to cash him out. "No espresso this time?"

Tony clasps a hand to his chest in mock-affront. "I'm allowed to like other things." He shrugs. "Also I actually slept last night so the caffeine isn't as necessary."

Barnes hums in response and moves to make the drinks. "Is that a thing you do?" Barnes asks. "Not sleeping?"

"Sleep is for the weak."

"Every day of it," Barnes shoots back without turning.

It takes Tony a second to work through the pun and then he's laughing again. God, it feels good to laugh. He hasn't done much of that in a while. Ty tended to push him toward the opposite end of the emotional spectrum. In a way, he's glad it's over, even if he's still hurting from the breakup. It's better this way. Really.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Tony blinks. The coffees are waiting in a to-go tray on the counter. "Right. Sorry. Spaced out there a second."

Barnes leans against the corner of the bakery case. "Didn't look like a good space."

He wonders what his expression had been to make Barnes worry. Wistful, maybe? Nostalgic? Or just hurt?

He shrugs again. "Hasn't been the best week for me."

Barnes frowns. He ducks behind the counter and comes back with a cupcake packaged in an individual plastic container. It's big with a large swirl of purple frosting on the top with flecks of fruit, maybe, in the icing. "Lemon Blueberry cupcake, the perfect thing to brighten your day. One the house."

Tony blinks. He can't remember the last time someone gave him something just to make him feel better. He's gotten loads of free stuff over the years, but there's always an agenda attached to it. The giver always wants something from him. This is... It's nice.

He realizes he's blushing too late to hide it. "Thanks. You don't have to. I can pay." He reaches for his wallet but Barnes shakes his head.

"Wouldn't be a gift if you paid for it."

"Oh." Could Barnes get any more attractive? Tony's not sure. "Thank you." The words come out achingly sincere and far too vulnerable.

"Any time. I hope your day is better, doll."

Doll? Tony hasn't blushed this much since he was a teen.

He gathers his purchases—plus the free cupcake—and gives Barnes one last lingering look. "You never did tell me your first name."

Barnes grins. "Guess you're going to have to come back and find out."

Fuck, those words make his heart race, same as the last time Barnes had said it. "Yeah. Yeah, I guess I will."

* * *

"Oh, thank God you're open," Tony says as he bursts into Barnes's Coffee.

Barnes looks up from where he's loading up the bakery case with a mix of surprise and happiness. "You're up early."

Tony waves a hand. "Or late. Depends how you look at it." He taps his card impatiently against the counter. "I need your largest to-go cup with a whole lot of espresso in it. Like, a lot."

Barnes crosses his arms and frowns. "I'm not sure I should give that to you. You look like you haven't slept for days."

Tony shrugs. Barnes raises an eyebrow. Tony huffs a sigh and explains in as few words as possible. "An attempt was made. It didn't go well."

He doesn't need to go into the lawsuit against Baintronics or how much the revelation that Ty had only been with him to steal his designs for his new wife had torn Tony apart and brought back memories of Obie's betrayal. He really doesn't want to talk about how used he feels knowing their entire six-month relationship had been a lie. He really doesn't want to start crying again, not in public.

Barnes sighs. "Pick a seat. I'll bring you something in a few seconds."

Tony blinks. He'd expected to take his coffee and slink back to the tower but he's not going to turn down the offer of company. He holds out his card, but Barnes doesn't take it, instead pointing toward the seating area. Barnes sticks his head through the open door to the kitchen and shouts, "Clint, get up here."

"O... Okay." He pockets his card and stumbles over to the little alcove along the back wall. It's the furthest he can get from the wide swath of windows without venturing into the employees-only area or the bathroom. He puts his back to the window as another layer of obscurity and slumps forward, elbows on the table and head in his hands.

A mug of something steaming and smelling of chocolate appears in front of him what could be hours or minutes later. He blinks and a croissant appears next to it. He looks up in time for Barnes to slide into the booth opposite. He's missing his usual apron and really, it's unfair to have someone so handsome sitting across from Tony when he feels like complete shit.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Barnes asks.

Tony shrugs. He really doesn't. He takes a sip from the mug and makes a face because, "This is not coffee."

"No," Barnes laughs, somehow making it sound like he's laughing with Tony instead of at him. "No, it's not."

Tony tries it again. It's not bad, whatever's in the cup. There's zero coffee taste, just milk and chocolate. Not hard to figure it out from there. "Hot chocolate?"

"Yep. You looked like you could use something calming instead of winding you up."

Tony groan. He rubs a hand over his face. It's six in the morning and he's been up all night stress-working. He's got a meeting at nine and another at eleven then a tour of R&D at one. "I'm not going to make it through today without espresso."

"So don't."

Barnes says it so matter-of-fact that Tony has to stare. "Don't...?"

"Yeah." Barnes leans back in the booth. One of his long legs brushes Tony's. "I'm sure you've heard of sick days. Use one."

He has, in fact, heard of sick days but he's never actually taken one. He's missed work plenty of times—though not in years—because he was too hungover or just didn't want to but he's grown out of that phase. His parents dying and then the too close for comfort assassination attempt in Afghanistan sobered him pretty quick.

Now that he thinks about it, he hasn't really taken a day off in a long time. He's adjusted his schedule to fit in whatever Ty wanted to do but he hasn't taken a full day off in years.

He sighs and slumps backward, stretching his legs out alongside Barnes's. He thinks of his Penthouse apartment in the tower and the bed he used to share with Ty. His nightmares the last few days have been brutal, a mix of Obie's sick smiling face as he tells Tony how he's outlived his usefulness and Ty's slimy grin while he loudly tears Tony apart in a crowded restaurant. He keeps dreaming of Ty trying to kill him while they're together in bed and he can't. He just can't sleep, not with those images still haunting him.

Tony tears at the croissant to give his hands something to do. "I'm not going to be able to sleep, so I might as well work."

"You know, those are better for eating instead of mauling." Barnes doesn't look disapproving of Tony's attack on the pastry. He's not even looking at the plate, staring instead at Tony's face with a searching expression.

Tony looks away. He doesn't want to know what Barnes is looking for. There's nothing worthwhile left in Tony to find.

"Hey." Barnes's hands cover Tony's. "I meant what I said. I'm here if you want to talk about it."

Barnes sounds so honest and earnest that Tony has to look at him. It's ridiculous really, the thought of baring his soul to this guy he's met twice. "You don't even know me."

Barnes nods and squeezes Tony's hands gently. He hasn't let go yet. "I'd like to change that."

Tony snorts a mirthless laugh. "I don't even know your first name."

"How about this?" Barnes leans across the table. "You tell me what's troubling ya, and I'll tell you my name. Deal?"

For all he knows, Barnes is going to take whatever Tony tells him and leak it to the first gossip rag he finds. He shouldn't trust strangers. Ty taught him that.

What's the worst that can happen? The media finds out he's a terrified hot mess? It's not going to hurt his reputation any less than what Ty did.

"Fine." He pops a piece of torn croissant into his mouth to give him time to think. Where to start? He doesn't want to name names, just in case Barnes hasn't figured out who Tony is yet.

"I had a boyfriend," Tony says, then thinks better of it.

Barnes rolls with it. "Ended badly?"

Tony grimaces as he remembers how shocked he'd looked in pictures, how he'd actually cried. "Very. Only it's not over." Barnes raises an eyebrow. "Well, the relationship part is. I just keep finding out more ways he fucked me over while I was too besotted to realize what he was doing."

Barnes pulls his hands away. Tony's almost hurt by the action, until he notices how white the knuckles of Barnes's fists are. Barnes's grey eyes have turned to steel. "Did he hurt you, sweet thing?"

Tony gapes. He's never had a complete stranger get so defensive over him. For him. He picks his jaw off the floor so he can answer. "Um, not, ah, not physically. He, uh, he never hit me or anything like that." Tony shudders at the thought. He's had guys who tried that—girls too—but he knows better than to stick around when fists go flying. "He, um..." Tony licks his lips. He's never admitted this before, not out loud and not to someone who seems to give a damn. "He would say things. Mean... um..."

He feels stupid suddenly. Boo hoo. His ex talked shit about him to his face instead of behind his back like everyone else and Tony had taken it. Of course he had because nothing Ty had said had been untrue, right? Tony was a spoiled brat and egotistical and he didn't know when to shut up and-

"Hey." Barnes taps the table between them to get Tony's attention. "It doesn't matter what he said. You know it's shit right? Everything he said."

Tony tilts his head and regards Barnes with curiosity. "You don't even know what he said."

"Don't have to. Shitty ex's are all the same. Had one myself, named Brock. Bastard. Took my friend Stevie to make me see it but I know the type so whatever he said, you don't believe none of it. Got it?"

Tony nods. He doesn't know what else to do. He knows Ty was right but he thinks Barnes might be right too.

Barnes pointedly slides the croissant plate closer. Tony takes the hint and eats a little more. It's good. The pastry is buttery and flakey but not so much that it crumbles in his hand. He's yet to have anything from Barnes's bakery that he hasn't liked.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that," Barnes says.

Tony sighs and toys with a piece of croissant. "Yeah, well, turned out he didn't actually like me to begin with. He, uh..." God, it hurts to say this. "He was being paid. By a rival company. He was just, um, just with me to get company secrets and I... I had no clue so it's this big mess now and..."

Barnes's warm hands find Tony's again. "That's not your fault, Tony. That's on him and whatever asshole hired him. Not you."

Tony huffs. "Doesn't really feel that way."

Barnes's thumbs brush over Tony's skin and God, Tony wants. He has to close his eyes to shove those feelings down. Yeah, Barnes is hot like burning and normally Tony'd try to climb him like a tree but he's too raw right now. Too vulnerable to even think straight.

He shouldn't even have come here. He should have stayed in his workshop, away from prying eyes but he'd wanted coffee and maybe a bit of conversation with someone who wasn't going to look at him and see a failure.

"Is that why you can't sleep?" Barnes asks softly. "Because you feel guilty?"

Tony's laugh is short and humorless. "God, no. It's-"

He stops. How much should he admit here, in this quiet café far too early in the morning for normal people to be awake, with just him, Barnes, and the grumpy-looking Clint bringing trays of baked goods out of the back? He's lucky no one else has come in yet. He's not going to have that luxury for long.

Barnes doesn't say anything. His thumbs keep up their rhythmic pattern over Tony's knuckles. He's not judging Tony, just waiting patiently for anything else Tony might need to get off his chest.

He sighs. "It's not... It's not the first time someone's used me. The last time..." Tony swallows past the pain that lingers all these years later. "He was like a father to me and he tried to have me killed when I stopped being useful to him."

"What!?" Barnes's shout is loud enough to make Clint look over with a raised eyebrow. Barnes waved Clint off with a shake of his head.

Tony slumped down in the booth. "Sorry. I doubt you want me unloading my tragic backstory on you. I normally wouldn't but it's just... It's been a bad week."

"Oh, honey, no." Barnes returns to rubbing his thumb over Tony's hands. "I asked, didn't I? And I meant it. I honestly wanted to know what's got you down."

Tony really, really hoped this wasn't another ploy. His heart couldn't take it. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." Barnes leaned over the table to kiss Tony's knuckles, one after another.

He doesn't want to ask. He really doesn't, but he has to know. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

Barnes raises an eyebrow. "If you can't tell by now that I'm sweet on ya, I'm losing my touch."

Tony blushes. What is it about Barnes that makes him feel like an awkward teenager all over again? "Yeah, I'd picked up on that. Doesn't mean you have to listen to me unload on you. You're a baker not a bartender."

Barnes shrugs. "You're real easy to listen to. You've got a nice voice, honey. Ain't a hardship at all." The Brooklyn draw that Barnes always has gets deeper and it does things to Tony, okay? Things he didn't know a voice alone could do.

"Thanks," he says and means it. He pulls out his phone to check the time and groans. He's been here an hour already. "I should get that espresso and get out of your hair. How much do I owe you for the meal?"

"Not a thing, sugar, and I though you were gonna take a sick day?"

He runs both hands over his face and into his hair. "I'm not going to sleep. I can't. I just..." He closes his eyes. It's easier to admit if he doesn't have to look at anyone. "I keep thinking Ty's gonna come back and kill me now that he's done using me."

Barnes doesn't say anything for too long. Tony opens his eyes, ready to face the revulsion or pity but Barnes looks contemplative instead. Barnes slides out of the booth and holds out his hand. "Come on, honey."

Tony's not sure what's going on, but he stands and lets Barnes tug him down the hallway, past the bathrooms and into another door. They're in the kitchen, where the smell of baked goods is overwhelming and soothing. They don't stop there, and the girl that's kneading dough at one of the counters gives them an odd look as they pass. Barnes pulls Tony into a cozy office with no windows, a small desk, and a soft-looking couch.

Barnes pushes Tony down onto the couch. He opens the bottom drawer of his desk and pulls out a pillow and a fleece blanket, both of which he offers to Tony.

"I know this is weird and we barely know each other but Clint and I used to be in the military and Kate may not look it but she knows her way around a fight so... You'll be safe here, I promise, if you want to try to get some sleep."

Tony blinks. He blinks again but Barnes is still standing there with this earnest look on his face and Tony is tired. He's bone-deep weary and the thought of powering through another day fueled by caffeine and fear is daunting.

As far as kidnapping attempts go, this is absolutely ridiculous so he thinks he might actually be safe here. He slumps against the couch and pulls out his phone to text Natasha and Pepper.

"Yeah, okay." He looks up at Barnes once he's told Pepper and Natasha that he's not coming in. "You're sure about this? I won't be in the way?"

"Not at all, honey." He kisses the top of Tony's head, a there-and-gone press of the lips that leaves Tony's skin tingling more than Ty's best kiss. Barnes stops with his hand on the door. "This locks from the inside," he says, tapping the knob. "I'm the only one with a key."

It's more consideration than most people have ever given him, his parents included. He nods and ducks his head before he starts crying. Barnes needs to stop being so nice to him when Tony's this raw.

"Thanks, Barnes."

"The name's Bucky. Well, James, actually. James Buchanan Barnes, but my friends call me Bucky. I hope you will too."

Tony can't help returning the wide grin on Bucky's face. "Thank you, Bucky."

"Sleep tight, doll." With another wink, Bucky heads out the door. Tony locks the door, toes off his shoes, and stretches out on a couch far more comfortable than it has any right being.

It's the best sleep he's had in years.


End file.
